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ARTSLANGUAGESTUDENT BOOK

10th Grade | Unit 5

LANGUAGE ARTS 1005Elements of Expository Compostion

INTRODUCTION |3

1. ELEMENTS OF SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS 5ELEMENTS OF A SENTENCE |6ELEMENTS OF A PARAGRAPH |9CONNECTIVES AND TRANSITIONS |14DEVELOPMENT OF PARAGRAPHS |21SELF TEST 1 |29

2. ELEMENTS OF EXPOSITION 32FACTS |33EVENTS |40IDEAS |43SELF TEST 2 |50GLOSSARY |54

LIFEPAC Test is located in the center of the booklet. Please remove before starting the unit.

Unit 5| Elements of Expository Composition

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© MCMXCVII by Alpha Omega Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. LIFEPAC is a registered trademark of Alpha Omega Publications, Inc.

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Author: Patricia Daugherty

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Elements of Expository Composition | Unit 5

2|

ObjectivesRead these objectives. The objectives tell you what you will be able to do when you have successfully completed this LIFEPAC . When you have completed this LIFEPAC, you should be able to:

1. Identify and show the difference between complete sentences and fragments.

2. Recognize and use topic sentences as a basis of paragraph development.

3. Determine the conditions under which one paragraph ends and another begins.

4. Identify, use, and punctuate correctly connectives and other transitional devices in sentences and paragraphs.

5. Name and use methods by which a paragraph is developed.

6. Write unified, coherent paragraphs.

7. Name the four main types of prose composition.

8. Recognize the many forms of expository composition and the three broad categories with which it deals: facts, events, and ideas.

9. Apply the guidelines for writing various forms of expository composition to original writing.

Elements of Expository Composition

IntroductionExperts on human nature have pointed out that many of today’s greatest problems are caused by a lack of communication or by confusion created by poor communication. Communication-caused problems exist on all levels: personal, national, and international. As a child of God, you have the duty to gain knowledge that will make you an effective and accurate communicator.

In this LIFEPAC® you will review the elements of sentences and paragraphs and learn to develop paragraphs effectively. Then you will study the elements of expository composition, the form of writing you must use to explain facts and truths. The careful study of this LIFEPAC® should help you to become an effective commu-nicator who can accurately pass on information through the written word.


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Section ObjectivesReview these objectives. When you have completed this section, you should be able to:

1. Identify and show the difference between complete sentences and fragments.

2. Recognize and use topic sentences as a basic of paragraph development.

3. Determine the conditions under which one paragraph ends and another begins.

4. Identify, use, and punctuate connectives and other transitional devices in sentences and paragraphs.

5. Name and use the methods by which a paragraph is developed.

6. Write unified, coherent paragraphs.

VocabularyStudy these words to enhance your learning success in this section.

abstract aerial ambiguous cohesion complex connectives concrete continuity dialogue distraction fawn logical perspective succulent transition unity

Note: All vocabulary words in this LIFEPAC appear in boldface print the first time they are used. If you are unsure of the meaning when you are reading, study the definitions given in the glossary.

1. ELEMENTS OF SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS

In Language Arts LIFEPAC 1003, you learned to recognize and to write effective sentences. Effective sentences, necessary as they are, are only the first step toward mature composition. Effective sentences have little value unless they are grouped into organized units of thought; that is, unless they form paragraphs.

In this unit you will briefly review the defini-tion of a complete sentence and the difference

between it and a fragment. Then you will learn to organize sentences into a paragraph that develops one main idea. In organizing you will learn to use and to correctly punctuate the con-nectives and transitions that are necessary to link sentences and paragraphs. Finally, you will learn various methods that writers use to develop the main idea of a paragraph.


Section 1 |5

ELEMENTS OF A SENTENCEAs a student you probably began studying the structure of sentences in English class earlier in your school life. In fact you may feel that reviewing the elements of sentences, once again, is not necessary. Yet a close analysis of your own writing may show that occasionally you do not write complete sentences. You may find that sometimes you write exactly as you speak. To say, “Behind the door,” is an understandable response to the verbal question, “Where is my umbrella?” In a written composition, however, “Behind the door”, is not acceptable because it is not a sentence.

Complete sentences. A complete sentence has a subject and a predicate and expresses a complete thought. The shortest sentence can be just one word and still be complete, if the subject is understood.

“Stop!” is a sentence. The subject, you, is under-stood. If you were asked to mark the parts of this sentence, it would look like this one:

(You) / stop !

In recipes and instruction sheets, the subject, you, is understood and usually not included.

Example: Fit Tab A into Slot B.

(You) / fit Tab A into Slot B.

Generally speaking, however, most sentences have more than one word. The length of the sentence, though, does not determine a com-plete sentence. A two word, complete sentence consisting of just the subject word and the predicate word, makes up the shortest verse in the Holy Bible. Do you know what it is? If you do not know, look at John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” Although this verse is short, it is a complete sentence conveying a complete and stirring thought.

Show that these sentences are complete by dividing the subject from the predicate with a slash and by drawing one line under the one-word (simple) subject and two lines under the one-word (simple) predicate.

Example: Jesus / wept

1.1 The whole class laughed loudly at the story.

1.2 Twelve hours passed without a word from any of the group.

1.3 The workmen repaired the damaged building.

1.4 The meeting began promptly at 7 o’clock.

1.5 He had no help with the project.

1.6 The longest, most boring day of his life ended with a dull thud.

1.7 Everyone in the church rushed out into the freezing night air.

1.8 Some of the dishes broke during the long move to the new house.

1.9 The ambassador from Cuba pounded his fist on the table.

1.10 A blood-curdling shriek pierced the black stillness of the night.


6| Section 1

Fragments. Often people write and speak in incomplete sentences. This practice may be acceptable in casual communication or special-ized forms of writing. Fragments are definitely not acceptable in the formal writing you, as a student, are required to do.A sentence fragment is a part of a sentence, not the complete sentence. As a fragment of cloth is only a scrap of cloth and not a complete item of clothing; so a sentence fragment is only a scrap of a sentence, not the whole thing

“No reason.” This response is a common answer to the question, “Why are you doing that?” What the speaker means is easily under-stood, but “No reason” is not a complete sen-tence. Try to divide the subject (doer) from the predicate (action) in this expression. This divi-sion is not possible because neither a subject nor a predicate exists in this nonsentence.

“The officers of the club.” This phrase is a subject. It tells who, but not what they did. No predicate is present; no action is stated; there-fore, this expression is not a sentence.

“Enjoyed the banquet.” This phrase has a pred-icate, an action word, enjoyed. This bit of a sen-tence tells what is done; however, it does not tell who, it does not have a subject. The sub-ject is not you understood. You is understood only when the verb is in the present tense and expresses a command or direction.

“Enjoy the banquet” is a complete sentence.

“Under the tree.” Because this expression has neither a subject (doer) nor a predicate (action), it is not a sentence.

Business letters are a specialized form of writing that frequently omit subjects: “Received your letter of March 1.” As a complete sentence this would read: “I received your letter dated March 1.”

Sometimes a business letter will omit both subject and predicate: “With kind personal regards.” Actually this pleasantry means: “I am sending this letter with kind personal regards.”

For the sake of brevity and convenience these omissions are acceptable in specialized types of writing. Most forms of formal writing, however, require complete sentences.

| Is This a complete unit — or just pieces?


Section 1 |7

Analyze each sentence to determine if it is complete or a fragment. Divide the subject from the predicate with a slash. Then draw one line under the one-word subject and two lines under the one-word predicate. If you are not able to find both of these parts, indicate that the group of words is a fragment by putting a capital F on the line. Example: F Ate the cake last night.

1.11 ______________ Received your letter this morning.

1.12 ______________ A dog howled loudly all night.

1.13 ______________ Several cases of canned goods.

1.14 ______________ Rushed to the ticket window.

1.15 ______________ The old, dilapidated mansion.

1.16 ______________ We mailed the letters yesterday.

1.17 ______________ Happened at the same bridge.

1.18 ______________ Dad sent me a book for my birthday.

1.19 ______________ Crowds of spectators pressed against the gates.

1.20 ______________ Went to France last year.

Read each fragment and tell what is missing (subject, predicate, or both); then fill in the frag-ment with necessary words and write a complete sentence.

1.21 The largest dog in the neighborhood.

a. Missing element(s) __________________________________________________________________________

b. Completed sentence _______________________________________________________________________

1.22 Hurried down the street by himself.



1.23 Struck out at anyone in the way.



1.24 A wise and sensitive teacher.




8| Section 1

ELEMENTS OF THE PARAGRAPHIf you learn how to develop a paragraph cor-rectly, you should have little difficulty in writing longer papers.

A paragraph is one or more sentences that develop one main idea. Its length may vary from one to ten or more sentences. No strict rule determines the number of sentences in

a paragraph. A paragraph, however, may deal with only one topic.

Topic sentence. Each paragraph is limited to one topic or main idea. The reader learns what that idea is from the topic sentence, which is usually, but not always, the first sentence of the paragraph.

Read the following paragraph and answer the questions.Keeping my mind on my writing is not easy when I stay at my grandmother’s oceanside cottage. Just about the time that I am going along pretty well, I glance out the window and see two huge bald eagles swooping and tumbling in a spectacular aerial display. Naturally, I have to leave my desk and rush to the doorway to watch the performance as long as it lasts. Then, as if a conspiracy were trying to keep me from working, two otters poke their shiny

heads out of the water and hang there motionless. They watch to see what I am doing. As soon as I return to my desk, seagulls wheel into my window view and screech as they search for scraps of food. Within minutes this confusion of sounds stirs my aging St. Bernard out of a deep sleep and he hauls his massive, lumbering body over to be petted. Mickey, my cat, can’t stand to see any partiality so he is soon pacing back and forth across my ankles. As I wiggle my bare toes to tease Mickey, I realize that my legs have become stiff. I remember that I have not had my daily ride. So, I slip on my sandals, step out the door, spring onto my bike and pedal off down the beach. Mean-while the composition on my computer sits and grows colder.

1.26 What is the topic sentence of this paragraph?

________________________________________________________________________________________________

1.27 Does the paragraph support the topic sentence? That is, do all of the following sentences

help develop the idea of the topic sentence? _______________

1.28 Does the last sentence refer to and support the topic sentence? _______________

1.25 Without hope of succeeding.




Section 1 |9

TEACHER CHECKinitials date

Complete the following activity.

1.29 Select one of the following topic sentences and write a paragraph in the following space that develops this topic. End the paragraph with a clinching sentence that refers to and repeats (but not in the same words) the topic sentence.

My favorite food is _____________________________________ .

I cannot concentrate when _____________________________ .

Sports are overemphasized in school and should be eliminated.

Sports are necessary for a good school program.

The problem I would try to solve first if I were president is ___________________________________ .

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Before you hand in your paragraph you should look for and evaluate these points: (1) complete sentences (no fragments); (2) topic sentence; (3) support of topic sentence (every sentence should help develop main idea); and (4) clinching sentence


10| Section 1

Change of focus. In a composition of more than one paragraph, a writer begins a new par-agraph when he changes his focus. The topic or subject remains the same; but the writer, in changing his focus, approaches it from a differ-ent slant or perspective. The focus is altered by a change in one of eight elements: time, place, action, mood, point of view, speaker, idea, and step.

Examples of changes in time are changes from minute to minute, from day to day, or from week to week. Examples of place changes would be changes from house to house, from city to city, or from chair to couch. Changes in action could include changes such as a change from singing to talking, from swimming to sleeping, or from crying to laughing. A change in mood means not only a change in the mood of the characters in the composition, but, more basically, a change in the actual feeling of writ-ing itself. If reading something makes you feel happy, then the mood of the piece is happy. If the writing makes you feel angry, then the mood of the piece is angry.

A change in point of view occurs when writing, which has previously been presented from one person’s perspective, switches to the

perspective of another person. A change in speaker occurs in dialogue when one person stops talking and another starts. A change in idea usually occurs in a discussion of differ-ent but somehow related theories, beliefs, or opinions. A change in step is frequently used in the form of writing that illustrates a method or procedure.

Many young writers make mistakes in para-graphing simply because they do not use these eight “changes” as guides to indicate when they should begin a new paragraph. A frequent mistake of many writers is the failure to begin a new paragraph each time speakers of dialogue change. Even one word of dialogue must be a paragraph in itself.

Example: “Did you buy the milk,” Jim’s mother asked him when he came home.

“No.”

“Well, then I can’t make pudding for dinner,” his mother said.

When writing, you need to be aware of focus and the ways in which the focus can change. When focus changes, you need a new paragraph.


Section 1 |11

Complete these activities On the line after each of the following pairs of paragraphs, write the word (time, place, action, mood, point of view, speaker, idea, step) that indicates the main change that occurred between the two paragraphs. Then briefly state the change. (You do not have to use sentences.)

Examples: mood: happy mood to angry mood place: kitchen to the backyard

1.30 Carol Harris had been sitting by the telephone all day. Her hopes grew dimmer and dimmer. She had refused to eat, could not concentrate on the book she was pretending to read, and would not speak to anyone in the family. Her mother and father tried to be patient and understanding because they knew how much Carol wanted to be asked to go to the conference to represent her class. They also knew that the faculty members were, at this very moment, discussing whether to choose Carol, who was class vice-president, or Sharon, who was class secretary. Both girls were well qualified and deserved the award. The Harrises hoped that their daughter who had worked so hard for this honor would be chosen. No smiles were seen in the Harris household. All their nerves were stretched as taut as the tight wires in the circus tent.

Everyone jumped when the telephone rang, and no one could move to answer it for a moment. Then Carol, her heart racing, picked up the receiver and whispered, “Hello. This is Carol speaking.” Her parents strained toward her, their eyes as anxious as Carol’s. “Oh, thank you. Thank you.” she cried. She whirled from the phone, her eyes danced, a brilliant smile brightened her face. “They chose me, Mom, Dad. They chose me.” The oppressive, gray gloom lifted and the room was bathed in sunlight as the three Harrises hugged each other and cried, “Praise the Lord.”

________________________________________________________________________________________________

1.31 The hike had been long and they were all glad to be setting up camp at last. In an hour they had the tent secure and were ready to put in the sleeping bags. Soon the campfire blazed. Mike and Doug started supper from the supplies they had carried in their back packs. Jeff and Ron brought in a supply of firewood and water. They were so tired that they thought they might fall asleep over their plates of stew. They managed to clean up the mess, however, before they tumbled into their welcome sleeping bags.

The sun slanted through the tent flap and touched the boys’ faces. The brightness awakened them one by one. The chores of the night before were repeated and soon they were enjoying bacon and flap jacks cooked over the open fire. Mike suggested that they spend the day there so that they could catch some fish for dinner. His idea was greeted with three loud cheers of agreement.

________________________________________________________________________________________________


12| Section 1

Mark these groups of words by dividing the subject from the predicate with a slash (/) and by drawing one line under the simple subject and two lines under the simple predicate. If the words do not form a complete sentence, write a capital F before the word group and write “subject” or “predicate” after the word group to show what is missing (each completely correct sen-tence, 1 point).

1.01 ________ The killer whale does not kill people.

1.02 ________ Slalom skiers race against the clock.

1.03 ________ Studied the lesson carefully.

1.04 ________ A scientist has developed a cactus without thorns.

1.05 ________ The modern luxury cruiser serves forty thousand meals on a voyage.

1.06 ________ On December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, the Wright Brothers.

1.07 ________ Baby crabs scuttled for shelter under the rocks and shells.

1.08 ________ The beginning of a new era of literature in the United States.

1.09 ________ Hundreds of bays and inlets dot the shores of Canada.

1.010 ________ The brilliant sunset over the desert.

Answer true or false (each answer, 1 point).

1.011 ____________ A paragraph must have no more than ten sentences.

1.012 ____________ A sentence must have more than one word.

1.013 ____________ A topic sentence usually comes at the beginning of the paragraph.

1.014 ____________ A new paragraph is needed for a change of time.

1.015 ____________ A change of place can be introduced in the same paragraph.

1.016 ____________ Two different view points may be included in one paragraph.

1.017 ____________ A connective is always the first word of the sentence that is linked to a previ-ous sentence.

1.018 ____________ Only four methods of developing the main idea of a paragraph exist.

1.019 ____________ The very first step in writing a paragraph is to determine which method of development you will use.

1.020 ____________ When a connective joins two complete thoughts, it must be preceded by a semicolon or be set off by commas.

SELF TEST 1


Section 1 |27

Match the letter of the phrase that best shows what each connective does (each answer, 2 points).

1.021 ________ but a. add ideasg

1.022 ________ furthermore b. take away, limit, or oppose

1.023 ________ nevertheless c. show time relation

1.024 ________ meanwhile d. indicate order

1.025 ________ in the distance e. show space relation

1.026 ________ first f. introduce an illustration

1.027 ________ therefore g. show a consequence

1.028 ________ finally h. repetition of an idea

1.029 ________ in other words

1.030 ________ for instance

Matchthecorrectwordsorphrasewiththeproperdefinition(each answer, 2 points).

1.031 ________ referring to words of a previous speaker

1.032 ________ repeating a word, phrase, pace, or pattern of a prior paragraph

1.033 ________ asking an opinion then giving the response

1.034 ________ using more than one connective

Definetheseterms(each answer, 4 points).

1.035 cohesion ____________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

1.036 abstract _____________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

1.037 ambiguous _________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

1.038 continuity ___________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

a. echo

b. double transition

c. question and answer

d. question and no answer

e. quotation


28| Section 1

Complete these lists (each answer, 3 points).

1.039 Name the four methods of developing a paragraph that were discussed in this section.

a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

c. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

d. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

1.040 Name, in correct order, the three steps of organization that you should follow before you begin writing a paragraph.

a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

c. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Write a C on the line if the sentence is correctly punctuated; write I if it is incorrectly punc-tuated (each answer, 1 point).

1.041 ________ I like apples, however, I do not like bananas.

1.042 ________ I like apples; however I do not like bananas.

1.043 ________ I like apples; however, I do not like bananas.

1.044 ________ I like apples. However I do not like bananas.

1.045 ________ I like apples however, I do not like bananas.

1.046 ________ I like apples. However, I do not like bananas.

1.047 ________ He likes autumn, but he does not enjoy winter.

1.048 ________ My father loves to cook; consequently we have a huge breakfast every Saturday morning.

1.049 ________ The dog barked and the bird sang.

1.050 ________ Hard work gives a person a sense of satisfaction, likewise, it helps to pay the bills.

SCORE TEACHERinitials date

7695


Section 1 |29

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LANGUAGE ARTS - glnmedia.s3. · PDF filePage 7: ©Maxym Boner, iStock, Thinkstock; ... “Where is my umbrella?” In a written composition, ... Topic sentence. Each paragraph is limited